Tribes gather to encourage unity

Sheikhs from across Yemen met at the Movenpick this week to find common ground.

A new council of sheikhs from tribes all across Yemen has been formed in order to further national unity.The Council National Solidarity was formed last Sunday, July 29, in Sana’a. It contains around 1,000 VIPs from tribes all around Yemen, as well as some Parliament and Shoura Council members.

The CNS aims to unify and organize those tribes in one body.
“This council is not against anyone, also it is not a political party. It is a tribal, social, national organization that aims to save the Yemeni unity and furthermore to save the security, suitability, and development in our country,” said Sheikh Hussein al-Ahmar, the president of CNS, at the opening of the council.

Al- Ahmar promised to make CNS play an important and effective role against all the dislocations in the state, especially working against corruption and corrupt people, wherever and whenever they are.

“ Yemen is currently witnessing difficult situations because of the authorities’ weakness, powerful corruption, and weakness of the parties and the civil organizations’ role,” he said.
“ All these reasons have a part in discouraging the unity and threatening the republican system and the democracy,” he added.

“ CNS aims to unify the tribes’ efforts and destroy the killing problems as the main obstacle in front of the all-Yemeni tribes,” al-Ahmar said.

The statute for the CNS said that its work is intended to save the national unity, the republican system, and to fight corruption.

It also says that CNS will unite tribes, solve the problems of revenge killings, unemployment, begging, and to take care of the economic side, and work on agricultural matters.

CNS will work – according to statute of the Council- to change the negative image of  the tribe, and keep alive good tribal traditions and abandon bad habits. It will also take care of tribal and popular heritage and work on documenting and transmitting this heritage to future generations in an honorable and safe way.

The statute also mentions supporting women, and empowering them in public life, so that they can use their rights in a secure atmosphere under Islamic law.

MP Ali Ashaal –  a CNS founding member- said that the council is not only for the sheikhs of tribes, but it is will contain many literary figures and intellectuals, and all social classes of people.

“The tension that the country witnesses these days requires unity from all the social classes of the Yemeni people, because we all believe that the national principles of the Yemen nation, which are Islam, the republican system, the unity, and democracy are the most important things.

“The idea for established CNS came to fill a gap of division created by the parties in the country and for the reunification classes of Yemeni society into one entity over the parties and their narrow interests,” he said.

In the first meeting, the sheikhs elected governing bodies. They have recommended Sheikh Hussein Abdullah al-Ahmar, President of the Council; Mohamed Abdulla al-Qadi Chairman of the Shoura council; Sheikh Ali Abed Rabbo al-Awadhi, Chairman of the Control and Inspection; and Mohammed Hussin Danmaj secretary general.

Inside CNS is a smaller body called the Shoura Council. This Shoura Council has 100 members. The founding members from Parliament are also in the council. And 30 more will be appointed by a high committee within CNS.

The Shoura council of the CNS elected 16 as members in the high committee, which is headed by the president of CNS and includes three deputies, the Chairman of the Shoura council, his two deputies, the secretary genera, and his assistant.

Six chairmen were elected, one of whom will take care of issues involving women and children.

Sheikh Mohammed al-Shaif of Bakeel –the biggest tribe in Yemen- described CN) as a muscle-flexing movements that does not serve the national interest, but only leads to deepening conflict between the sons of one homeland.

"The objectives of this Council, which is organized for the money goals, does not take into account the interest of the homeland," he said.

Al-Shaif said that CNS wants to make Yemen into another Somalia or Lebanon.

"I do not want to mention those people working behind the scenes, but I hope to keep the country away from danger," he said.

“ CNS belongs only for the Hashed tribes, and I was able as Grand Sheikhs to found another body for Bakeel tribes if I want, but such behavior is harmful to the country's unity and stability.”

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